BELMONT — Sister Mary Timothy Warren, age 90, died at Marian Center at Sacred Heart Convent in Belmont on July 11, 2016. She was a Sister of Mercy for 64 years.
Her ministries included serving as a teacher and principal of Catholic elementary schools in Charlotte, Asheville and Long Island. Sister Mary Timothy also ministered at Mercy Hospital in Charlotte as a cytology technician, director of continuing education, and a counselor in the family surgical waiting room.
In addition, she served as pastoral associate at St. Gabriel Church in Charlotte, as well as developing and administering the Lay Ministry Program in the Diocese of Charlotte and Vicar for Women Religious in the Diocese.
Sister Mary Timothy also was active in the civic community, where she was family counselor at Open House Drug Rehabilitation in Charlotte. She also designed, initiated and facilitated a program for co-dependent families.
In her later years, she volunteered at Mercy Heritage Center, the archives of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, which is housed in Belmont.
A native of Asheville, Sister Mary Timothy was the fourth of six daughters born to Ira and Ella Mae Donahue Warren. Her birth name was Barbara Jean Warren.
She earned an associate of arts degree at St. Genevieve of the Pines Junior College in Asheville and a bachelor's degree in sociology from Belmont Abbey College. Her graduate-level studies included elementary school administration at Appalachian State University and the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and studies in individualized instruction at the International Graduate School of Education in Atlanta.
After college, Barbara Jean moved to Charlotte and began work in the Histology Department of what was then Charlotte Memorial Hospital, now known as Carolinas Medical Center. It was during those years that she first felt the inclination to enter religious life. Her good friend, Father John Manley, also an Asheville native, told her about the Sisters of Mercy. He subsequently brought her to Sacred Heart Convent in Belmont to meet the sisters, and she entered the Sisters of Mercy on February 1, 1951. She selected "Timothy" as her name to honor her maternal grandfather.
Sister Mary Timothy, known for her wonderful sense of humor, delightful laughter, attention to detail, and abundant enthusiasm, truly enjoyed her life, ministry, community, family, and friends.
She is survived by the Sisters of Mercy; her dear friend, Jenny Malatesta; and several nieces and nephews.
Wake and visitation will be held on Thursday, July 14, at 7 p.m. at Cardinal Gibbons Memorial Chapel in Sacred Heart Convent in Belmont.
The Funeral Mass will be held on Friday, July 15, at 10:30 a.m., also in Cardinal Gibbons Memorial Chapel, followed by interment at Belmont Abbey Cemetery.
Memorials may be directed to the Sisters of Mercy, 500 Sacred Heart Circle, Belmont, N.C. 28012.